14

Oct

Practice Has To Be Practical

If you notice, most of the so-called practitioners always practise and do virtuous deeds on special days. Well, I am no exception. We say that effects are multiplied by hundred times, thousand times or hundred million times if we practise this or that on this day or that day. I am not saying that it is not true. Certain days have more positive energy and certain days have different type of energy.

Why is this happening? The truth is that we are all very lazy and we need to find valid reasons to encourage ourselves to practise. Otherwise, we do not have any incentive to do any practice. By practice, I don't only mean the formal practice of meditation, prostrations and recitation, I think good deeds such as helping others, bringing happiness to others, performing all the virtuous activities are also included.

Everyday, besides praying, meditating, giving teaching and busy writing texts, I take my nuns with me, walking down to the holy Stupa to circumambulate 3 times every evening. I was thinking of doing this just for one week, but later I have decided to do this every day until the 49th day from the date my beloved Guru departed. If I am not wrong, I think the last day falls on 25th October.

Again, many practitioners have been asking me why are we doing this in this month? This is not a special month. As I said, many people need excuses to do beneficial activities, partly because they don't appreciate every minute and every moment of their life. In fact every moment is very important, very special and very precious, and partly because of laziness and because it is a difficult target to keep and to achieve. So even spiritual practice has to be done on special days, special time and special month. This is of course better than not doing any practice. However, if we understand and seriously wish to be enlightened one day so that we are no longer swimming endlessly in the ocean of samsara, then we should know experientially that every moment, every second and every breadth is the great chance to practise.

We are circumambulating the Swayambhunath every night happily for our beloved Guru, to fulfill his wishes. Of course, circumambulating the Stupa alone is not going to fulfill his endless beneficial wishes which are like ths sky that cannot be filled up with any of our objects. But I am doing it because when he was alive, he encouraged me to do it. Whenever I shared with him about circumambulating Stupas, about our Eco Pad Yatras, especially about the circumambulating this particular Swayambhunath Stupa, he used to be ovelwhelmed with joy and thrilled to hear that. He used to praise me and my nuns for being able to do that. He always told me this: "We all have to circumambulate this Stupa as many times as possible, because this is the best way to purify. Unfortunately there are still some of us who are too old, too lazy or too busy to do this. By the time we are ready to do it, it will be too late." This was what he always said from his heart. Therefore, after we performed the traditional rituals for more than 1 week, I decided to circumambulate the Swayambhunath Stupa 3 times every evening with my nuns until the 49th day from my Guru's departure. As usual, my nuns are very supportive and willing to follow me. I want to thank them for accepting this with deep and happy heart. This is even encouraging for me. Together we walk 13km per evening and I feel perfectly okay. I thought this is a nice news to share with those of you are reading or following the gossip I am writing here.

Many of my friends and students from America, Mexico and South America are looking forward to joining together with my nuns and me to do the 13 circumambulations. We will definitely encourage each other. I believe and trust that all the gurus, dakas and dakinis, including my late Guru are very much fulfilled and delighted for all the beneficial activities done in benefit of all the sentient beings. I believe that practical spiritual practice such as circumambulations and even Live to Love etc. have to be done practically. I believe more in practical than theoretical. Theories will work if they support in terms of practical level, otherwise support, theories don't make any sense. So spiritual practice has to be practically helping all sentient beings. Besides prayers, retreats, meditation and all these different sorts of formal practices, we have to go out and do something.

Last but not least, I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the King and Queen of Bhutan for their wedding. Although we are all very busy here, I have allowed myself, my parents, my monks and nuns to watch the live broadcast of the Royal Wedding. I am sending my prayers for their happiness and success in mundane and spiritual life. I am also very happy that our eminent Rinpoches were able to lead our delegation team to attend the Royal Wedding physically. The King of Buddhist Kingdom like Bhutan represents the success in maintaining a rich tradition grounded in spirituality and in introducing modernisation. I believe the King is responsible to be successful in keeping this balance and my prayers are always there. Tomorrow will be an exciting day for us as we will watch from afar the programs on TV and send our congratulations and best wishes from the depth of our hearts.